I have to ask you yet another favour today.  Schlesinger, of Berlin, is bringing out a new edition of the scores of Gluck’s overtures, which is dedicated to me, and he wishes to print your close of the overture of “Iphigenia in Aulis” in addition to that by Mozart.  For that purpose he wants your special permission, and has asked me to get it from you.  If you have no objection to this close—­which has already been published in Brendel’s paper—­ appearing in this edition, be kind enough to give me your consent in a few lines, and address your letter, “Hotel Zur Kaiserin von Oestreich,” Vienna, for which I start to-night.

I shall conduct the two concerts for the Mozart centenary celebration on the 27th and 28th instant, and shall be back in Weymar on February 4th.

Your speedy recovery and patience is the wish with all his heart, dearest Richard, of

Your faithful

F. Liszt.

Weymar, January 14th, 1856.

210.

Zurich, January 18th, 1856.

My letter, dear Franz, you will have received at Vienna through Gloggl.  I once more put the question contained therein, and ask you:  Can you give me the thousand francs, which would be still better, and can you settle the same sum on me annually for two years more?  If you can, I know that you will willingly join with those who keep me alive by their pecuniary assistance.  My own income is insufficient for the very expensive style of living here, and every new year I am troubled by a deficit, so that I am really no better off now than I was before.  If it were not for my wife you would see something curious, and I should be proud to go about the world as a beggar; but the continual uncertainty, and the miserly condition in which we live, affects my poor wife more and more, and I can keep her mind at rest only by a certain economical security.  More of this when I see you.  That I ask you this question at the present moment when I am sick of life, and would see the end of it today rather than tomorrow, you will probably understand, when you realise that from the deepest mental grief I am incessantly aroused to nothing but the mean troubles of existence, this being my only change.  I have no doubt of your will, and believe even that it would give you pleasure to belong to those from whom I receive a regular pension.  It remains to be asked only:  Can you?  I know that some time ago you were not able, although even at that time you occasionally made real sacrifices to assist me.  Perhaps a change has taken place since then, and on the chance of this “perhaps” I venture to trouble you with my question.